Window jack



March 2, 1965 n K. D. SCOTT wINDow JACKV 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 3, 1962 Fig.

Kennet/1 Dee Scarf IN VEN TOR.

K. D. SCOTT March 2, 1965 WINDOW JACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deo. 3, 1962 Kamer/ De@ Scof INVENTOR.

United States Patent O 3,171,508 WINDOW JACK Kenneth Dee Scott, Pioneer Hotel, R0. Box 141, Elko, Nev. Filed Dec. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 242,018 2 Claims. (Cl. 182-58) The present invention is generally related to scaffolding, and more particularly to a novel window jack positionable through an open Window and attachable to the frame thereof as well as the surrounding building structure so as to present a working platform on the outer surface of the building adjacent the window. This application is a continuation-in-part of abandoned application Serial No. 163,942, tiled January 2, 1962.

During the routine maintenance of a building, the

v occasion frequently arises for obtaining access to the exsolely upon a safety belt, this means would obviously not satisfactorily provide the stability or range of movement required when repairing or painting the window structure, these operations frequently requiring the provision f extensive and expensive scaffolding.

Accordingly, it is one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a working platform, portable in nature, which can be simply and quickly installed through a window so as to enable the working on the exterior portions thereof under extremely safe conditions while at the same time providing almost complete freedom of movement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable window jack which is extremely simple in nature and capable of being solidly installed in a matter of minutes so as to make it equally adaptable for use on jobs, such as window washing, which take only a relative short period of time, as well as those jobs requiring extended periods of time.

Likewise, it is an object of the present invention to incorporate a safety or guide rail into the scaffold of the present invention.

Additionally, an object of the present invention is to provide a window jack which, while relatively light in weight thus allowing for the easy turning and positioning thereof, is of a highly stable and durable construction i capable of providing the necessary support.

l looking from the inside end thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line 3-3 in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line 4 4 in FIG- URE l;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line 5 5 in FIGURE l; and

Cil

3,171,508 Patented Mar. 2, 1965 ICC FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the foldable and removable guard rail.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally designates the window jack comprising the present invention. This window jack 10 consists of a flat working platform 12, preferably of wood, attached by fastening means such as screws 14 to two parallel elongated subjacent support or frame members 16. These frame members 16 are preferably channelshaped with the bight portion being orientated horizontally for the threaded reception therein of the fastening means 14.

As will be appreciated from FIGURES 1 and 2, the working platform 12 is narrowed at two points so as to form, along both edges thereof, two abutment shoulders 18 and 2t) for engagement with either the window frame 22, the exterior surface of the building 24, or both as shall be gone into in more detail presently.

Extending transversely of the frame members 16 and rigidly affixed to the inner end thereof is an angle member 26, the ends of the angle member 26 extending laterally beyond the edges of the inner reduced portion of the platform 12. Mounted on each of the laterally extending ends of the angle bar 26 is an extension member 28 laterally adjustable by means of a longitudinal slot 30 therethrough. This lateral adjustment is required so as to adapt the window jack to various Widths of window openings, each extension member 28 being fixed in a laterally adjusted position by means of a bolt 32 freely received through the slot 30 and threaded within a suitable aperture within the bar 26 so as to effectively clamp the extension member 28 to the bar 26 thus preventing movement therebetween.

The outer portion of each extension member 28 has an adjusting bolt 34 extending transversely therethrough and provided with an abutment member 36 on its inner end for engagement With the inner surface of the window frame 22 thus causing an inward movement of the platform 12 so as to engage either the shoulder 20 with the window frame 22 or the shoulder 18 with the exterior building surface 24, or both, depending upon the relative width of the window frame and building wall. The abutment member 36 is to be provided with a suitable non-scratching surface 38 so as to avoid a marring of the Window frame 22, the adjustment of this member 36 being accomplished by rotating the adjusting bolt 34 through an internally threaded nut 40 atiixed to the inner surface of the extension member 28 and in line with a suitable aperture therethrough for the passage of the bolt 34.

In addition to the use of the adjustable abutment members 36 as a means for stabilizing the inner end of the jack 16 and engaging the shoulders 18 and 20, an adjustable elongated rod 42 is provided for engagement beneath the inwardly extending overhanging window sill 44, this rod 42 being of a length substantially equal to the width of the inner portion of the platform 12. In order to effect the upward and outward adjustment of the rod 42 for engagement beneath the sill 44, two brackets 46 are provided, both secured to the angle member 26 in line with the support members 16 by any suitable means such as screws 48. Each bracket 46, extending inwardly from the inner end of the platform 12, consists of a horizontal upper portion 50, a vertical portion 52 depending from the inner end thereof, and a third portion 54 extending upwardly at an angle from the lower end of the vertical portion S2 to abutting engagement with the vertical leg of the angle member 26 for attachment thereto. Rigidly affixed to the vertical member 52 within the bracket 46 is a brace member 56 presenting a flat provided through the depending portion 52, bracing member 56, and upwardly angled portion 54 parallel to theV afore-mentioned line of travel with a tubular sleeve 60 being fixedly positioned within the aperture through the portion 54'and with a `rotatable slceve'62 .being'maineV tained for rotation through the apertures in the portion 52 and member 56 by an annular shoulder 64 integral with the sleeve 62 and slidably engagea'ble with the bearing surface 58 of the member 56. The rod 42 has twoV threaded rods 66 rigidly aftixedrthereto ywith each rod extending through' the aligned sleeves 60 and 62 of the adjoining bracket 46, this rod 66 being threadedly yreceived within an internally threaded nut 68 integral with the rotatable sleeve 162 whereby by thev rotation of the sleeve 62, a suitable handle-means 70 being provided, a longitudinal movement of the threaded rod 66 is effected, this rodbeing freely guided by the sleeve 60, thus resulting in an engagementof the rod member 42 beneath the sill 44 so as to effect the desired inward movementof the platform 12 'to assistthe adjustable abutment members 36 in securing the platformcto the Window structure.

In addition to the adjustable abutment members 36 provided on the outer ends of the extension members 28 and the adjustable clamping means mounted yby the brackets 46, the-window jack' 10 also includes a supporting horse structure 72'incorporating means for adjustably engaging an external window ledge 74. This horse structure 72 consists of two depending panels 76 secured to the frame members'16 by b olts 78, the lower edge 8) of each panel being angled so as to substantially conform to the upper tsurface 82 of the'ledge 74. VExtending transversely of the plates 76 and secured to the ends thereof by driven `fasteners S4 are beams 86. These beams 86,"

the lower edges of which are angled so as to conform with the slope of the bottom edge 80 of the plates 76, form in conjunction with the plates 76 the supporting horse structure 72. However, in order to compensate for variances in building construction, the horse 72 is provided with adjustable means so as to insure a proper levelling of the platform 12. This adjustingrmeans consists of four elongated threaded bolts 88 ea'chfhaving a bearing head V90'at the-lower end thereof for engagement with the upper surface 82 of the ledge'74, these adjustable bolts 88 being threadedly received within internally threaded sleeves 92 fixedly-secured within the beams 86 in line with the superjacent supporting members 16. Also, the present invention contemplates the provision of additional plates 94 secured to the frame members 16 by bolts Y 96 and shaped so asrto engage the upper surface of the portion of the window casing adjacent the ledge 74 upon a retraction of the adjustable bolts 88 to their innermost position thus resulting inl an even more stable-structure.

So as to insure the safety of the Worker on theplatform, the present invention also includes a removable and foldable guard rail 98 `capable of being easily inserted throughv a window opening and subsequently unfolded and secured to the platform 12 about the outer periphery thereof. This guard rail 98 consists of a central U- shaped section 100 having two vertical legs 102 and suitable cross braces 104, and two 'end sections 106 each including a vertical leg 108 and horizontal braces 110 extending therefrom and terminating in vertically orientated sleeves 112 rotatably receiving the vertical legs 102 therethrough thus allowing a pivoting of the end sections 106 against the main or central section 100r resulting ina compacting of the guard rail 98.

The guard rail structure 98 is mounted on the plat- K form 12 by a positioning of the lower ends of the legs 102 and 108 within upwardly opening sockets 114 appropriately positioned about the outer edge of the platform 12, these legs 102 and 10S-being fixed within the sockets 114, if so desired, by suitable means such as set screws From the foregoing, it is considered to be readily apparent that a novel simplified window jack structure` has been dened with this'structure providing a stable horizontal working platform exterior of a ybuilding window with the stability of the platform being maintained by a support horse engageable with the window ledge and Yincluding adjustable legs'thereon, two adjustable abutment members for engagement with the edges of the window frame Yon the interior of the building so as to draw the platform inwardly thus resulting in'an engagement of abutting shoulders on thecplatform with the exterior surface of the window frame or building so as to provide for a clamping between the shoulders and the adjustable abutment members, and additional clamp means capable of adjustablefengagement with the undersurface of the normally providedV inwardly projecting Awindow sill so as to resulttin a clamping of the jack to thewindow sill with thisv clamping engagement also assisting in providing the rigid engagement of the afore-mentioned shoulders with the exterior of the window frame or building itself. Accordingly, it will be recognized that the afore- -mentioned structure results in the provision of a relatively simplyfconstructed portable windowy jack capable of being quickly vand safelyset uprso as to accommodate a Worker `allowing a maximum freedom of movementl with` a minimum risk involved. Y'

The foregoing is consideredas illustrative-only ofthe principles of fthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications Vand changes will `readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the Yexact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all `suitable 'modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the inventionas claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A window jack for use in conjunction with a building windowV having a window frame, a sill extending inwardly of the frame :so as to present an overhanging shoulder and a window ledge projecting outwardly from said frame, said jack consisting of a working platform, said platform being positionable-through said window frame soV a-s to project inwardly and outwardly thereof, 'rst means on thekinner edge of said platform -for engagement'upwardly at an langle beneath said overhanging shoulder, second means on Vsaid inner edge laterally adjustableV for engagement with the innersurface of the windowframe at opposite edges of the window, and means depending from said platformand engagea-ble with the ledge for the support of the plat-form thereover, said first means including an elongated transversely extending rod 4of `a length Igenerally equal-t0 they width-of said inner edge, and adjusting bolts adjacent each end of said rod for moving Vsaid rod -into engagement beneath said overhanging shoulder, said second means also being adjustable outwardlyrelativeto the window frameso as todraw Vthe platform inwardly, the portion of said platform outwardly of saidfrarne being of greater width than said "frame and tightly engageable therewith upon aninward drawing ofthe platform by the `adjustable second means.

`frame-.so as to project inwardly and outwardly thereof,

first means on the inner edge of said platform for engagement upwardly. at an angle beneath said overhanging shoulder,-second. means on said inner edge laterally adjustable for engagement with the inner surface of the window Vframe lat Yopposite edges of the Window, and

i means depending from said platform and engageable with the ledger-for thetsupport of the'platform; thereover, said first means vincluding an elongated transversely extending rod of a length generally equal to the width of said inner edge, and adjusting bolts adjacent each end of said rod for moving said rod into engagement lbeneath said overhangng shoulder, the opposite side edges of the platform including two laterally aligned pairs of stepped por- 5 tions forming a rst pair of shoulders engageable with the window frame and a second pair of shoulders engageable with the exterior of the building, said second means being adjustable outwardly relative to the window frame so as to elect an inward drawing of said platform and an 10 engagement of at least one of said pair-s of shoulders.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Britt Nov. 4, 1890 Muller May 21, 1895 Leger Feb. 12, 1907 Persoons July 6, 1915 Embree Nov. 9, 1915 Mishel Dec. 28, 1915 Blackwood Apr. 21, 1925 Ireland Mar. 26, 1940 

1. A WINDOW JACK FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A BUILDING WINDOW HAVING A WINDOW FRAME, A SILL EXTENDING INWARDLY OF THE FRAME SO AS TO PRESENT AN OVERHANGING SHOULDER AND A WINDOW LEDGE PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID FRAME, SAID JACK CONSISTING OF A WORKING PLATFORM, SAID PLATFORM BEING POSITIONABLE THROUGH SAID WINDOW FRAME SO AS TO PROJECT INWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY THEREOF, FIRST MEANS ON THE INNER EDGE OF SAID PLATFORM FOR ENGAGEMENT UPWARDLY AT AN ANGLE BENEATH SAID OVERHANGING SHOULDER, SECOND MEANS ON SAID INNER EDGE LATERALLY ADJUSTABLE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INNER SURFACE OF THE WINDOW FRAME AT OPPOSITE EDGES OF THE WINDOW, AND MEANS DEPENDING FROM SAID PLATFORM AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE LEDGE FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE PLATFORM THEREOVER, SAID FIRST MEANS INCLUDING AN ELONGATED TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING ROD OF A LENGTH GENERALLY EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF SAID INNER 